LeRoy Farmers’ Market Meeting
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
LeRoy Township Hall
In Attendance:
Absent:
*Brian Cool, chair
*Betty Strunk
*Joyce Richardson, co-chair and treasurer *Mark Baker
*Amy Jo Prater, events coordinator
*Karen Cool
*Dave Fisher
*Julie Keefer
Amanda Sutherland
Carol Peel
Betty Morris
Mark Dean
* denotes committee member
Brian Called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.
Joyce made a motion to a approve the agenda with additions, Dave supported,
motion carried.
Brian read aloud the minutes from the November 11th meeting. Joyce made
a motion to approve the minutes, Julie supported, motion carried.
There was nothing much new for the Treasurer to report. Brian and
Joyce had decided that the market could pay the entry fee of $75 for Brian and
Karen to go to the Small Farm Conference in Grayling on behalf of the market.
Brian is working on updating information about the market at various
websites. Keeping accurate information in a growing number of places on
the Internet is an annual winter task. Our own website, with reciprocal
links to these other sites, will soon be the best
place to go for information about us.
Brian passed out a couple sheets worth of information representing a
beginning to the body of content for our new website. Review and
conversation followed - How much room is Chris
offering to us for free? Links suggested to add, were Hillhoff Organic Dairy, and ISLAND.
The Storage shed/composting toilet was approved by the Village Council at
one of their recent monthly meetings. Need to get with
At the above-mentioned meeting the Village Council also expressed their
wish that we would keep children from climbing over the piles of dirt and from
playing around the equipment against the back of the garage. We will put
a sign by gravel & sand piles, saying ‘Stay off Please!’
Pre-Holiday Farmers Market/Craft Show was a success. The church did not
ask for any money but Brian and Joyce decided on the spot that the market would
give them $20. We are invited back for this next season. Work done by
Amanda on the flyer, and by the subcommittee of Amy Jo, Howard, and Brian, on
planning, was recognized as factors contributing to the days success.
Brian said although he has never before asked to be paid for mileage for
putting up fliers, this was different. Usually there is enough lead time
and other people willing to help that it doesn’t require going out of the
way. Julie made a motion that Brian be paid $23.99 mileage. Joyce
supported, motion carried.
No further discussion on logos since neither Mitzi or
Mark Baker were present. Amy Jo & Jess are making banners/flags with the logo’s for their stand. She suggested that others do
the same. They are easy to make or have one made for your stand.
Howard was not present to remark on his progress with a lunch wagon for
the upcoming season.
The response from the insurance company as to whether or not we could have
vendors dogs allowed at the market was ‘no’. We are to get our own copy
of the insurance policy later this week. Brian read part of a the letter
he sent to Paul & Christie Miodek, thanking them
for the great addition they made to the Market and apologizing for not being
able to have worked out a more favorable solution. We all hoped that they
would continue to come without their little friend.
Amy Jo is well on her way to having enough demonstrators and musicians for
the upcoming season. The group agreed that it would be a good idea to
keep the music to once a month but on a regular schedule (second Saturday for instance ) - it was also commented that hopefully this would
be favorable to the Amish.
We discussed the worth of listing our market in the Michigan Farm Marketing and
Agri-tourism Association booklet. The
membership and directory listing for 2009 will cost $100.00. The deadline
is January 31st, 2009. Julie made a motion to pay for the advertisement, Amy Jo
supported, motion carried.
Brian has put the final touches on the lending library list and is looking
forward to housing it in our new building. There are currently about a
hundred items in the collection.
Some of the following were mentioned as good activities for the kids at
the Market; taking the children to the Library to check out books, making
a trek to the playground at the Elementary School, having educational and fun
activities such as learning to use a compass, and an on-site children’s
Garden.
Brian pointed out that we have eight members on the farm market committee
as it is called for in our bylaws, but that we could have subcommittees that
include other people. Brian suggested forming several
sub-committees. This will make it more feasible to accomplish the work we
want to do.
Julie made a motion to form a sub-committee for building the
shed/outhouse, with Amy Jo & Mark Dean (with the possible addition of Runo and Howard). Seconded by Karen, motion
carried.
Joyce made a motion to form a subcommittee to oversee creation of the new
website. Brian & Joyce will be on this sub-committee. They will be
working with webmaster Chris Gaidica.
It was determined that we should probably also have the cookbook overseen
by a subcommittee. Maybe this could be taken on by Karen Cool & Tasha
VanDusen.
Julie Keefer, Betty Strunk, and JoAnn Swanson are volunteers for the LeRoy Quality of Life
committee with the township. Julie was wondering if the market would
welcome them as a new sub-committee. They have worked on a couple of
projects through the market in the past. They will be changing their name
to the Area Quality of Life Sub-committee. Motion to accept the group by
Dave Fischer, Amy Jo supported, motion carried.
Next meeting dates: Amy Jo made a motion to set next three meeting dates
of this year as March 3rd, April 7th, and May 5th, all at 6:30 PM, Karen
supported, motion carried.
At 9:15 PM Dave made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Joyce
supported, motion carried.